Feed mechanism



y 12, 1953' J. R. GUESS 2,638,132

FEED MECHANISM Filed 3111; 1, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Imne ntor c/QSZPH R. 60:55

Cittomeg Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE FEED MECHANISM Joseph R. Guess, Rosemead, Calif.

Application July 1, 1950, Serial No. 171,642

Claims.

This invention relates to a mechanism for feeding a punch press or like machine, the same contemplating intermittent continuous feed of wire, rod, etc.

In the production of metal screens of large mesh, the cross wires or rods may be initially produced on a punch press that forms a series of offset crimps in each wire or rod. These are later interwoven with longitudinal wires or rods to form a screen. The gauge or mesh size of the screen varies as desired. Thus, the spacing of the crimps formed in the cross wires is subject to change according to the gauge.

For reasons of economy of manufacture, it is contemplated that wires or rods having crimps spaced exactly as desired be produced by one punch press equipped with a suitable die. It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a novel and improved Wire feed mechanism for such a press that will produce Wires or rods crimped on various spacings.

Since the gauge or mesh size of the screens may vary greatly or only in small increments, it is another object of the invention to provide a feed mechanism that may be quickly adjusted to vary the feed of a wire or rod in small increments throughout a wide range so that the spacing of the crimps formed by a press feed by said mechanism is exactly as desired.

' The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. lis afront elevational view of a feed mechanism according to the present invention, the same beingshown in operative association with a conventional punch press.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial elevational and partial sectional view as taken on line 2-2 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a similarly enlarged plan sectional view as taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is'a view of a fragmentary portion. of a wire or rod producedby the punch press.

The fragmentary portion of a punch press shown in Fig. 1' has a bed 5 provided with a conventional bolster 6 that mounts a die 7 for forming crimps 8 in a wire or rod 9. The usual ram cooperating with die 1 is not shown. However, the same is ofconventional design and is reciprocatively driven by a shaft #0 controlled by a one-revolution clutch and having the usual fly wheel. It is understood that for each revolution of shaft ID, a crimp 8 is formed in wire or rod 9. According to the invention, feed mechanism ll, preferably attached to and carried by the press, is provided for intermittently feeding wire or rod 9 so-that crimps 8 are spaced as desired.

The feed mechanism ll comprises, generally, a support bracket 12 provided with a sloping transverse slideway [3, a slide 14 in said slideway, a frame l5 carried by the slide, a stepped feed roll or wheel l6 carried by the frame, an auxiliary frame I! mounted in frame 15 and carrying an idler feed wheellB operatively associated with wheel [6, adjusting means 13 for frame 11, locking means 20 for slide I4 and for the means 19, adjusting means 2| for slide I4, a set of interchangeable ratchet wheels of which one wheel-22 is connected to feed wheel IS, a drive arm 23 for ratchet wheel 22, and. means 24, driven from shaft 10 of the press, for oscillating arm 23.

Bracket I2 is preferably formed as a casting having a transverselysloped base wall 25 arranged to extend laterally of the press bed 5, the bracket being secured to an edge of said bed as by suitable bolts .26. The bracket shown is provided with a lateral extension 21 which, in a conventional manner, mounts wire or rod straightening wheels 28 that serve to straighten wire or rod 9 as the same is removed from a roll thereof, and fed to die 1.

The slideway 13 comprises a pair of ways 23 formed on or affixed to the upper surface of wall 25 and sloped according to said wall. Between said ways 29, wall 25 is formed with an elongated slot 30.

Slide I4 comprises ablock that has its lower sloping surface 3| resting on sloping wall 25 and its upper surface 32 is horizontaL; Said slide is, therefore, generally wedge-shaped. Lateral flanges 33 on the slide are engaged in ways 23.

Frame I5 comprises a pair of spaced standards 34 affixed to slide it and extending upwardly from face 32 thereof, said standards, at their upper ends, serving to revolubly mount a transverse shaft 35. Inreaching hubs 36 are provided for the shaft 35 and serve also. to locate feed wheel 16 substantially centrally between standards 3d.

Feed wheel i6 is here shown with five steps 01' lands 37, although the number may vary, desired. The steps each comprise an individual feed wheel, as will later be seen, and the cylindrical faces thereof are preferably knurled for non-slipping feed engagement with wire 3. It will be evident that the step having the smallest diameter will feed wire 9 :a cornmensnrately shorter distance than will the step having the largest diameter, the intermediate steps feeding proportionally. It will be seen that the steps 3? define a certain transverse angle relative to the plane of rotation of the wheel. It is at this angle that wall 25 and guideway 53 are disposed.

Auxiliary frame I! is formed as a Li-shaped member having a base 38, spanning between standards 3 and legs 39 residing against *and having sliding engagement with the inner faces of "said standards. time frame '15! :andhold the samet'in vertical align ment with thestandards.

Idler feed wheel 1-8 is carried by frame 1-] between its legs 3;; and :is held in vertical alignment with feed wheel 1'6 between hubs 4! extending inwardly from said :legs. Wheel 18 is provided with steps or :lands it similar to those of wheel :IG, .but the same are oppositely arranged with the largest step "of one wheel vertically aligned with the smallest step'of the other. 1;

Wheel [8 may be considerablysmaller than wheel 1:5, as shown, and while "the same may be knurled, lmurling .is not essential, since non-slippage feed of the wire is achieved by wheel 16.

Adjusting means :19 comprises a :threadedstem H and idler wheel 18 thereon may he adjusted relative to the slide to bring wheel 18 to adjusted position re'lative'to Wheel toeffect :feed of 'a wire!) when the latter wheel :is rotated. The adjustment is made according to "the diameter of-isai'dwire. A suitable handle M'is provided on the lower end of stem :43 to fif-acilitateirotational adjustment ofsaidstem.

Locking means '20 comprises an internally Guides All :on the standards conthreaded sleeve 45 having a handle 46 and threadedly engaged with stem 43.. shaped block 47 is interposed between the upper end of said :sleeveand-t'he iundertzface of wall 2'5 and takesthethrust 10f said sleeve along the axis Of-ZStEm '53. It will beicl'ear "that sleeve 65., through stem 43, draws slide M tightly against bracket wall to lock said slide "and the parts carried thereby.

Adjusting means '2 l comprises a 'threadedstem A wedgea 48 that passes through the threaded above of a bracket 49 affixed to the rear of bracket 152, a handle 58 for rotating said-stem, :a lock nut 51 for locking the stem against rotation and .en-

.gaged against bracket :19, and 'a grooved and headed end 52 on said stem engaged ina seat153 formed in slide M. Stem :38 is mounted at the angle -of wall "so that adjusting "movement thereof is in the plane :of said angle.

Since die I has a :fiXed position that dictates the line of feed :of wire :9, it will 1118 312611 that the feed, and forward adjustment, a longer feed. The feed variations are a function of the relative diameters of the lands 3? and the length of feed increases or decreases accordingly.

Each ratchet wheel 22 comprises a disc 54 having a set of peripheral ratchet teeth the same being uniformly spaced. An eight-toothed wheel is shown and it will be apparent that the number of teeth may vary so that the drive arm 23 may intermittently drive that wheel "which is mounted on shaft through angular increments according to the angles included between the ratchet teeth. An eight-toothed wheel will be driven through angular increments of to impart a linear travel of wire 9 of a certain length; a six-toothed wheel, for instance, will be driven "through an angular increment of to impart a linear travel of the wire of a commensurately greater length; and a ten-toothed wheel will, therefore, impart a linear travel to wire 9 that is rcommensurately shorter. Thus, by selection of a ratchet wheel 22 having a suitable number .of teeth, and by adjustins drive wheel it to bring the desired step 3! thereof into feeding engagement with the wire, a wide range of feed increments may be achieved, each varying but slightly relative to the other. The feed variations may be further minimized by providing some of the ratchet wheels with an odd number of teeth and providing for arm 23 to engage alternate teeth, rather than each one successively. For example, the exact desired length of feed may be shorter than can be achieved by the 45 drive of an eight-toothed wheel and longer than can be achieved by the 40 drive of a nine-toothed wheel. By using a seventeen-toothed wheel, a. 42%; drive may be obtained when every other tooth thereof is engaged by arm 23.

The selected ratchet wheel 22 is mounted :on shaft 35 and is clamped thereon by a plate '56 locked up by a nut 51. To insure that said wheel does not slip relative to wheel IS, a drive pin 58, .on a backing hub 59 for wheel 22, is employed.

Drive arm 23 is mounted on shaft 35 to freely oscillate thereon, said drive arm having a housing .89 on the end thereof for a spring-urged drive dog ,6! that rides the periphery of wheel 22 and engages notches or teeth 55 thereof. A rearward lateral extension 62 is provided near or at the endof said arm.

The arm driving means 24 comprises a radial extension 63 on a fitting E affixed to shaft l0, said extension having a key-hole slot 65 extending longitudinally therethrough, a swivel fitting 66 adjustably arranged to have varying eccentricity with the axis of shaft it according to the distance of the head 6'! thereof from the axial center of shaft Ill, a pitman .68 extending from swivel E56 and connected to said swivel on a pivot and a ball-andsocket connection 70 between the pitman and extension 62.

Since the axes of shafts ill and 35 are transverse to each other and are also vertically off-- set, and since extension .63 rotates in a plane transverse to the plane of oscillation of arm 23,

the swivel .66, pivot .55? and 'ball-and-socket l0 cooperate to translate the rotary motion of shaft I ll into oscillating movement of arm 23 and, therefore, intermittent feed movement of feed wheel H5. The stroke of the .pitman may be adjusted by selection of pivot holes H therein for pivot 169 and a corresponding adjustment of head 61 relative to the axis of shaft ill. Thus, the swing .of arm 23 :may be varied according to'the numberof teeth in wheel 22.

Ratchet dog 6|, on the recovery stroke of arm 23, may over-run the tooth 55 next to be engaged thereby and pick up said tooth during the feed stroke. In order to insure against back-lash and to hold drive wheel l5 during the recovery stroke of arm 23, brake means is provided. The same is shown as a drum 7?. on shaft 35 and a brake shoe 13 engaged with said drum and connected to frame I5 at M.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as the preferred embodiment, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a wire feed mechanism, in combination, a sloping support having its angle of slope transverse to the line of feed of a wire, a bracket slidably adjustable on said support along the angle of slope thereof, a pair of feed wheels carried on parallel axes by said bracket and between which extends said line of Wire feed, a drive for one of said wheels, each wheel being provided with a plurality of annular lands of successively different diameter and the angle defined by the lands of each wheel where the same engage the wire being the same as and parallel to the angle of slope of the support, and means to adjust the spacing between the lands of the respective wheels.

2. In a wire feed mechanism, in combination, a sloping support having its angle of slope transverse to the line of feed of a wire, a bracket slidably adjustable on said support along the angle of slope thereof, a pair of feed wheels carried on parallel axes by said bracket and between which extends said line of wire feed, each wheel being provided with a plurality of annular lands of successively different diameter and the angle defined by the lands of each wheel where the same engage the wire being the same as and parallel to the angle of slope of the support, means to adjust the spacing between the lands of the respective wheels, comprising an auxiliary bracket slidingly carried by the mentioned bracket and mounting one of said wheels and an adjusting stem engaged with the auxiliary bracket and carried by the sloping support, and means to intermittently drive the other of said wheels.

3. In a wire feed mechanism according to claim 1: the diameter of the smallest annular land of the driven wheel being larger than the diameter of the largest annular land of the other wheel.

4. In a wire feed mechanism according to claim 1: the drive comprising an oscillating arm on the axis of the driven wheel, a ratchet wheel fixedly mounted on said axis and provided with a set of uniformly spaced ratchet teeth, and a dog on said arm successively engaging said teeth during oscillation of the arm to intermittently drive the latter feed wheel and, thereby, intermittently feed the wire.

5. In a wire feed mechanism according to claim 1: the drive comprising an oscillating arm on the axis of the driven wheel, a ratchet wheel fixedly mounted on said axis and provided with a set of uniformly spaced ratchet teeth, and a dog on said arm successively engaging said teeth during oscillation of the arm to intermittently drive the latter feed wheel and, thereby, intermittently feed the wire, said ratchet wheel comprising one of a set of such wheels in which each wheel has a difierent number of uniformly spaced ratchet teeth.

JOSEPH R. GUESS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 540,543 Ebert June 4, 1895 642,339 Krummel Jan. 1900 687,753 Hoefer Dec. 3, 1901 833,758 Shuster Oct. 23, 1906 1,266,946 Hirth May 21, 1918 1,612,159 Sommer Dec. 28, 1926 2,111,984 Meinwald Mar. 22, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 404,681 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1934 

